F-22P

The F-22P is an improved version of the Chinese Type 053H3 frigate currently on order by the Pakistan Navy (PN). The first ship is expected to be delivered to the PN in 2008 with the remainder by 2013. Four F-22P frigates have been ordered by the Pakistan Navy in total, with the first three being built by China, and the last being built in Pakistan by Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW). The $750 million deal, finalized last year, also includes 4-6 Z-9EC helicopters as well as ammunition for the frigates. The first ship has been named the PNS Zulfiqar and was launched on April 5, 2008. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/05/world/main3995375.shtml]

Capabilities

The Zulfiqar Class is armed with eight C-802 surface-to-surface and eight FM-90 (improved HQ-7) surface-to-air missiles. However the F-22P uses the Russian AK-176M 76.2 mm as its main gun, instead of the Chinese 100 mm counterpart. Physically, the F-22P has a stealthier platform as it uses many of the Type 054 frigate's Radar Cross Sectional (RCS) reduction concepts. The AK-630 is the basic anti-ship missile defence.It is a 30 mm gattling gun. The AK-630M can be used to shoot down aircraft and take out small gunboats and installations. This makes the F22P more deadly. The F22P is very effective in aircraft defence as it has an 8 box Fm-90 surface to air missile(SAM), the launchers and missiles are cheap, which means the Pakistan Navy can buy many of these. If the pakistan navy can fire the babur missile from an F22P it will be effective in taking out land installations, ships, naval platforms and any other target with "with pinpoint accuracy". The C-802 anti-ship missile is capable of destroying heavily armored ships, or submarines.

hips

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F-22P under construction for Pakistan navy. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/Zulfiqar2.jpg

External links

* [http://china-pla.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html China-PLA Blogspot]